Device and method for packaging platelike information carriers

ABSTRACT

A device for packaging substantially platelike information carriers, provided with a first and a second cover part, wherein at least one of the cover parts is provided with receiving means for engaging and locking at least one information carrier, which receiving means comprise at least two guide elements, which can guide and lock at least a portion of an outer edge of the information carrier, such that during use the information carrier can be slid into or under the guide elements, while the information carrier can be taken out of the package by sliding it approximately parallel to its surface and approximately parallel to the respective cover part.

[0001] This invention relates to a device for packaging substantiallyplatelike information carriers.

[0002] ‘Platelike information carriers’ should herein be understood toinclude at least information carriers having substantially a circularshape, such as CDs, for instance music CD, CD-ROM, CD-i, CD-RW or DVD,and information carriers having a substantially polygonal, in particularrectangular shape, such as chip cards, credit cards, SIM cards, memorycards or memory sticks, disks such as computer diskettes and minidisksand the like.

[0003] Known from practice are storage devices for CDs which are usuallydesignated as Jewel-cases. They comprise two cover parts capable ofhinging relative to each other, while in one of the cover parts, forinstance with the aid of a tray inlay, a rosette is arranged. Thisrosette is formed by a number of resilient elements, disposed in acircle, over which the CD can be pressed, by way of the central openingthereof, to be retained by clamping, while protuberances of the elementsengage the upper side of the CD. When taking the CD out, the segmentsare elastically deformed, so that the CD can be pulled over theprotuberances.

[0004] These known devices have as a drawback that both when placing andwhen detaching the CD, as well as in the storage condition, forces areexerted on the CD which lead to undesired stresses in the CD and in thepackaging device. This may give rise, for instance, to crack formationin the CD and/or fatigue damage in the rosette. Often, segments breakfrom the rosette, so that the action of this device is considerablyimpaired or even annulled. A further disadvantage of these known devicesis that they take up relatively much space, more specifically, arerelatively thick, especially due to the rosettes. The fact is that therosettes in any case must have a height slightly greater than thethickness of the CD to enable them to engage the upper side of the CD.Moreover, under the CD, some space is to remain clear to enablesufficient deformation of the rosette to allow the CD to be placed andremoved. Together with the necessary wall thicknesses of the coverparts, this leads to a minimum thickness of about 10 mm.

[0005] Further, these known devices have as a disadvantage that placing,and especially removing, the CD is difficult, for instance because theCD must be retained at its outer peripheral edge and the rosette must bedepressed simultaneously, which requires relatively large hands and goodcoordination.

[0006] The object of the invention is to provide a device for packaginginformation carriers as described in the introduction, in which thedisadvantages of the known devices have at least partly been avoided,while maintaining the advantages thereof. To that end, a deviceaccording to the invention is characterized by the features according toclaim 1.

[0007] With a device according to the invention, an information carrieris slid approximately parallel to its surface into receiving means in oron a cover part, such that at least a portion of its outer edge isguided and embraced by guide means, for positioning and retaining theinformation carrier. The guide elements can then be made particularlysmall, at least thin, so that they occupy relatively little space. Thus,the guide elements can be, for instance, somewhat rail-shaped, having,for instance, a somewhat U-shaped cross section, the legs of whichextend approximately parallel to, or in, the respective cover part. Th ethickness of these legs can then be kept particularly small, forinstance a few tenths of millimeters, since they do not need to provideany clamping action. They only need to limit movement of the informationcarrier in a direction approximately at right angles to its outersurface and to guide the information carrier when being placed andremoved. For that matter, the guide elements can also be mutuallyconnected through a connecting part or even form part of a continuouselement.

[0008] In a device according to the invention, it is particularlyadvantageous if at least one resilient element is provided which locksthe information carrier in a lock position in the receiving means, whichresilient element can be pushed aside by the information carrier beingremoved and/or being placed, but offers sufficient resistance toshifting of the information carrier in the lock position, for instanceduring displacement of the device with information carrier.

[0009] In a device according to the invention, both when placing andwhen removing the information carrier, as well as in the lock position,no undesired forces, in particular no bending forces, are exerted on theinformation carrier. Only the resilient elements, when placing andremoving the information carrier, will exert some force, approximatelyparallel to the flat outer sides of the information carrier, against theperipheral edge, which will not lead to undesired stresses in theinformation carrier. Moreover, no prolonged deformations need to arisein particular in the resilient fingers and the further receiving means,so that problems of fatigue will not occur.

[0010] A further advantage of a device according to the invention isthat the information carrier will not come loose unintentionally whenpressure is applied to the closed package, as may easily happen with therosette of the known device. In the use of a device according to theinvention for packaging, for instance, CDs or like devices having atleast one opening, a finger can simply be stuck in the opening,whereafter the information carrier can be moved. Also, the receivingmeans, in particular the guide elements, can be designed such that afinger can be simply placed against a peripheral edge part of theinformation carrier for the purpose of moving it.

[0011] In a device according to the invention, the receiving means, inparticular the guide elements and the resilient elements, if any, arepreferably dimensioned such that the information carrier is not clampedbut is locked in the lock position, with the guide elements constitutingsliding fits or guides with particularly little clearance, whilst theresilient projection or projections, substantially undeformed, abutagainst the side of the information carrier. Any clearance is thenpreferably appreciably smaller than the thickness of the informationcarrier, for instance maximally a few tenths or hundredths of thethickness thereof.

[0012] In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the receiving means,and the cover part on or in which they are provided, are dimensionedsuch that the information carrier is positionable on the cover part,partly next to the receiving means, and slidable along the receivingmeans into a lock position in the receiving means vice versa. Thisrenders placement and removal simpler still. Preferably, the respectivecover part is then provided with an upstanding longitudinal edge, suchthat the information carrier can be laid within the longitudinal edge,at least partly next to the receiving means, and the longitudinal edgecan prevent the information carrier sliding off the respective coverpart.

[0013] Preferably, in the lock position mentioned, the informationcarrier has its outer surfaces held in spaced relation from the coverparts, thereby preventing damages still better.

[0014] In a further advantageous embodiment, a device according to theinvention is injection molded, preferably in one piece, while the coverparts are mutually connected by a back, while integrally injectionmolded hinges (living hinges) are provided, so that a robust packagingdevice simple to manufacture and relatively inexpensive can be obtained.

[0015] In a device according to the invention, the sliding direction ofthe information carrier along a cover part, between a free position anda lock position when received in the receiving means, can extend, forinstance, parallel to the back of the storage device, but can alsoinclude an angle therewith, for instance an angle of approximately 90°.In an advantageous further elaboration, at least one cover part isprovided with receiving means for receiving at least two informationcarriers and/or both cover parts are provided with receiving means.Thus, several information carriers can be packaged in the same device.

[0016] As described, the known storage devices are relatively thick, forinstance 10 mm or more, also when only one information carrier can bereceived therein. It is preferred, however, to make the packagingdevices of relatively thin design, since in that case they occupy lessspace. Surprisingly, it has been found that with a packaging deviceaccording to the invention, the device can have a thickness of less thanapproximately 9 mm, allowing at least one information carrier to bereceived on one of the cover parts, whilst additionally, with the deviceclosed, there is still room for further information means, such as, forinstance, a booklet of a thickness of, for instance 3-4 mm. It will beclear that such a storage device can therefore be made of still thinnerdesign. The wall thickness of a packaging device according to theinvention is preferably, at least as regards the faces of the coverparts, relatively small, preferably less than approximately 1 mm.Therefore, when packaging an information carrier of a thickness of, forinstance, approximately 2 mm, the total thickness of the package can belimited to, for instance, approximately 6-6.5 mm or even approximately 4mm. If the cover parts are made of extra thin design, even a stillsmaller thickness can be achieved.

[0017] By designing the packaging device to have outside dimensionsapproximately corresponding to those of existing DVD cases, inparticular approximately 135×190 mm, the advantage is achieved thatpackaging devices according to the invention can be used in standardstorage devices, processing equipment, packaging machines and the like.However, other outside dimensions can naturally be used as well.

[0018] The invention further relates to an assembly of a deviceaccording to the invention and an information carrier to be received orreceived therein.

[0019] The invention furthermore relates to a method for filling adevice according to the invention, characterized by the featuresaccording to claim 19.

[0020] Such a method provides the advantage that the packaging devicecan be filled in a simple manner, necessitating only minor adaptationsof existing packaging devices for, for instance, CDs or other platelikeinformation carriers.

[0021] In the further subclaims, further advantageous embodiments ofpackaging devices according to the invention are set forth.

[0022] To clarify the invention, exemplary embodiments of a packagingdevice, assembly and method according to the invention will be furtherelucidated with reference to the drawing. In the drawing:

[0023]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a packaging device according tothe invention, with a CD in a free position;

[0024]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a clamping finger for booklets ofa device according to FIG. 1;

[0025]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a detail of a device according toFIG. 1 with receiving means;

[0026]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a detail of a back of a deviceaccording to FIG. 1 with cover parts attached thereto through hingemeans;

[0027]FIG. 5 is a front view of a device according to FIG. 1 in openposition;

[0028]FIG. 6 is a rear view of a device according to FIG. 1 in openposition;

[0029] FIGS. 7-9 show three alternative embodiments of a deviceaccording to the invention;

[0030]FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a portion of the receiving meansof a device according to FIG. 9;

[0031]FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a device according to FIG. 9 andFIG. 10;

[0032]FIG. 12 is a schematic perspective view of a portion of analternative embodiment of receiving means according to the invention;and

[0033]FIG. 13 is a schematic front view of a cover part of a deviceaccording to the invention for receiving a rectangular informationcarrier.

[0034] In this description, the same or corresponding parts have thesame or corresponding reference numerals. In the embodiments shown, thedevices according to the invention have been manufactured in one pieceby injection molding from plastic, comprising cover parts which havebeen connected to each other and/or a back through integrally injectionmolded hinges (living hinges). The cover parts can be swung against eachother for obtaining a box-shaped, closed package within whichinformation carriers such as CDs, chip cards, diskettes, minidisks andthe like can be locked. It will be clear, however, that comparabledevices can also be manufactured from several parts, for instance loosecover parts which can be connected to each other through suitable hingemeans or can be loosely pressed onto each other. Suitable hinge meansare sufficiently known, for instance as used in the known Jewel-box.

[0035]FIG. 1 shows in perspective view a first embodiment of a device 1according to the invention for packaging circular, substantially flatinformation carriers 2, in particular CDs. The device 1 comprises afirst cover part 3 and a second cover part 4, with a back 5 arrangedbetween them, mutually connected through living hinges 6. The two coverparts 3, 4 are provided with an upstanding longitudinal edge 7, 8, whichedges have been profiled in a conventional manner, such that they canengage onto and/or into each other in the closed position when the coverparts 3, 4 have been swung against each other. On the first cover part3, receiving means 9 are provided, within the longitudinal edge 7, inwhich the information carrier 2 can be received in a lock position. InFIG. 1, the information carrier 2 has been placed in a free position onthe first cover part 3 and, in a manner to be further describedhereinafter, can thence be slid to a lock position, as schematicallyrepresented in broken lines in FIG. 5. In the second cover part 4,clamping fingers 10 are provided adjacent the side remote from the back5, which extend into the interior of the package and under which, forinstance, a booklet associated with the information carrier 2 can beclamped.

[0036] The receiving means 9 comprise, in the embodiment shown in FIG.1, two guide elements 11, a stop shoulder 12 and two resilient fingers13. In FIG. 3, in perspective view, on an enlarged scale, a guideelement 11 with resilient finger 13 is shown. The guide element 11 has asomewhat U-shaped cross section, provided with a lower leg 14, an upperleg 15 extending approximately parallel thereto, and an upright wall 16.Of the two guide elements 11, the legs 14, 15 extend in the direction ofeach other. They are disposed approximately parallel to the cover face17 of the first cover part 3. The two guide elements 11 and the stopshoulder 12 are situated on an imaginary circle, such that an upstandingwall 18 and the upright walls 16 approximately define a semicirclehaving a radius approximately corresponding to the radius of theinformation carrier 2. The distance between the lower leg 14 and theupper leg 15 is approximately equal to the thickness of the informationcarrier 2, the arrangement being such that the information carrier 2 canbe slipped, from the side remote from the stop shoulder 12, into theguide elements 11 as far as the stop shoulder 12, whereby a portion ofthe longitudinal edge 19 of the information carrier 2 is receivedbetween the lower legs 14 and the upper legs 15 of the two guideelements 11 and is thereby substantially secured against movement in adirection away from the wall 17. Additionally, the stop shoulder 12and/or the guide elements 11 prevent the information carrier 2 fromsliding further, beyond the stop shoulder 12. The thickness of the lowerleg 14, as well as of the upper leg 15, is a few tenths of millimeters.Due to the information carrier 2 having its longitudinal edge 19 restingon the lower leg 14, the outer surface of the information carrier 2facing the closing face 17 is held in spaced relation therefrom, so thatthe information carrier 2 is protected. The depth of the groove 20 ofthe guide elements 11, between the legs 14, 15, is selected such thatpreferably only an unrecorded portion of the information carrier 2 isreceived therein, so that damage to the information carrier 2 isprevented still better. The groove 20 preferably forms a sliding fit forthe longitudinal edge 19, allowing only little play. The longitudinaledge 19 is preferably not clamped between the legs 14, 15, so thatundesired stresses are prevented still better.

[0037] The guide elements 11 are arranged symmetrically relative to afirst axial line 21, on opposite sides thereof, and link upapproximately with a second axial line 22, which extends at right anglesto the first axial line 21, such that the guide elements 11 and the stopshoulder 12 approximately include a semicircle. On the side of thesecond axial line 22 remote from the stop shoulder 12, shown in FIG. 5as aligning with the guide elements 11, there is provided a circularsegment-shaped support edge 23, which is so curved and so positioned asto be situated on the same (imaginary) circle as the guide elements 11,at least the lower leg 14 and the stop shoulder 12. In the lock positionof the information carrier 2 as shown in FIG. 5, the longitudinal edge19 rests on the support edge 23, or at a slight distance thereabove, forfurther support. The support edge 23 has a thickness above the coverface 17 approximately corresponding to the thickness of the lower leg14, or a little less. At a greater distance from the second axial line22, two curved lay-in shoulders 24 are positioned, having a bend radiuscorresponding to the radius of the information carrier 2, which lay-inshoulders 24 have a somewhat L-shaped cross section, as shown in FIG.5A. Provided on the side facing outwards is a relatively high first edge25; next to it, a low edge 26 having a thickness approximatelycorresponding to the thickness of the lower leg 14 of the guide elements11. As shown in FIG. 5A by broken lines, an information carrier 2 can belaid on the lay-in shoulders 24, in particular on the low edge 26,within the high edges 25, with the information carrier 2 extending abovethe support edge 23. Between the lay-in shoulders 24 and the guideelements 11, there extends, on opposite sides of the first axial line21, a sliding shoulder 27, such that the information carrier 2, whilesupported on the lay-in shoulders 24, can be slid from the free positionshown in FIG. 1 over the sliding shoulders 27 to the lock position shownin FIG. 5, with a part of the longitudinal edge 19 of the informationcarrier received in the guide means 11 and abutting against the stopshoulder 12 and possibly resting on the support edge 23. This slidingmovement can be performed in the opposite direction to take out theinformation carrier 2. In a simple manner, for instance, a finger can beinserted in the central opening 30 of the information carrier 2 toeffect this sliding movement.

[0038] The resilient fingers 13, as appears clearly from, for instance,FIG. 3, are attached to the ends of the lay-in shoulders 24 proximal tothe guide elements 11, and extend inwards, in the direction of thesecond axial line 22. FIG. 3A, in front view, schematically shows aportion of a device 1 according to the invention, in particular a detailof the information carrier 2 in the lock position within the receivingmeans 9. It shows that the information carrier 2, when sliding in theslide-in direction S₁ from the free position (FIG. 1) to the lockposition (FIG. 5), passes the resilient fingers 13, whereby the fingersare elastically pushed aside from the position shown in full lines inFIG. 3A to the position represented in broken lines. After theinformation carrier 2 has passed, the resilient elements 13 spring backto the position represented in full lines, thereby ending up, preferablyundeformed, or deformed only to a particularly minor extent, against theside of the longitudinal edge 19 of the information carrier 2. In thisposition, the information carrier 2 is locked by, on the one hand, theguide elements 11 and/or the stop shoulder 12, against furtherdisplacement in the slide-in direction S₁ and against displacement in adirection at right angles to the closing face 17, while the informationcarrier 2 is locked against sliding in the slide-out direction S₂,opposite to the slide-in direction S₁, by the resilient elements 13.Only when sufficient force is exerted on the information carrier 2 inthe slide-out direction S₂ will the resilient elements 13 be elasticallypushed aside again, so that the information carrier 2 can pass theresilient elements 13. From the free position as shown in FIG. 1, theinformation carrier 2 can then be simply taken out, approximately atright angles to the closing face 17.

[0039] Since the receiving means 9 and the lay-in shoulders 24 extendcompletely within the longitudinal edge 7, the information carrier 2 isprevented still better from coming loose unintentionally. Placing theinformation carrier 2 is particularly simple. In fact, it only needs tobe laid flat within the lay-in shoulders 24 to be subsequently slid inthe slide-in direction S₁ into the lock position. In the lock position,the receiving means 9 exert substantially no forces on the informationcarrier 2, so that undesired stresses are simply prevented.

[0040] In FIG. 6, the device 1 according to the invention is shown, fromthe rear, in open position. Clearly visible are the guide elements 11,the stop shoulder 12, the resilient elements 13 and the lay-in shoulders24, as well as the clamping fingers 10. On the first cover part 3 andthe second cover part 4, adjacent the longitudinal edge 7, 8, ridges 31,32 are provided which, in the closed position of the device 1, are inmutual engagement for keeping the device 1 closed.

[0041]FIG. 7 shows a first alternative embodiment of a device 1according to the invention, in which the receiving means 9, at least thestop shoulder 12, has been displaced approximately against thelongitudinal edge 7, such that the information carrier 2 in the freeposition lies approximately in the middle of the cover part 3, while inthe lock position it is displaced with respect to the middle. In avariant of this, not shown, on opposite sides of the middle of the firstcover part 3, receiving means 9 are provided, against or adjacent thelongitudinal edge 7, while the guide elements 11 on a first side of themiddle are situated slightly higher than those on the second side. Insuch an embodiment, first a first information carrier 2 can be laid inthe middle and be slid into the second receiving means 9, whereafter asecond information carrier 2 can be laid in the middle and can be slidinto the first receiving means 9. Thus, a packaging device of greatercapacity is obtained.

[0042] In FIG. 8, a second alternative embodiment of a device 1according to the invention is shown, in which the receiving means 9 havebeen rotated through 90° on the first cover part 3, such that theslide-in direction S₁ extends at right angles to the longitudinaldirection of the back 5. The longitudinal edge 7 is then preferablylowered on the side remote from the back, so that the informationcarrier 2 can be slid over it.

[0043] In FIGS. 9, 10 and 11, a third alternative embodiment of a device1 according to the invention is shown, arranged for receiving twoinformation carriers on the first cover part 3, which, in the lockposition, are located directly above each other. To that end, the firstcover part 3 is designed to be substantially mirror-symmetrical at leastwith respect to the second axial line 22 in front view as shown in FIG.9, however, with receiving means 9A, 9B at different levels. As appearsclearly from FIG. 11, the first receiving means 9A, shown in lowerposition in FIG. 11, are lower than the second receiving means 9B. Thismeans in particular that the first lay-in shoulder 24A, the firstsupport edge 23A and the first, lower guide means 11 are lower than thesecond lay-in shoulder 24B, the second support edge 23B and the second,upper guide means 11B, which are placed on top of the first guide means11A. First and second resilient elements 13A, 13B are provided onopposite sides of the guide means 11A, 11B. In this embodiment, a firstinformation carrier 2 is deposited, in a free position, within the firstlay-in shoulder 24A, above the first support edge 23A, in FIG. 11adjacent the upper longitudinal edge 7A. Then the information carrier 2is slid in the slide-in direction S_(1A) towards the middle of the firstcover part 3, thereby elastically urging the first resilient elements13A outwards, so that a portion of the longitudinal edge 19 of the firstinformation carrier 2 can be received in the first guide means 11A. Thefirst, lower information carrier 2 will then end up having itslongitudinal edge disposed against the second finger 13B and in anadjacent further part of the first guide means 11A. In other words, thefirst information carrier 2A will rest against the first and secondresilient elements 13A, 13B, being substantially undeformed, and bepartly received in the first guide means 11A. Next, a second informationcarrier 2 is deposited within the second lay-in shoulders 24, adjacentthe longitudinal edge 7B shown in lower position in FIG. 11. This secondinformation carrier 2 is then slid in the second slide-in direction SIBtowards the middle of the first cover part 3, into the second, upperguide elements 11B, thereby elastically pushing aside the secondresilient elements 13B, until the information carrier 2 has passed them.The second information carrier 2 will then be just neatly disposed in aportion of the second guide means 11B located behind the second fingers13A, viewed in the slide-in direction SIB. Then this second informationcarrier 2 too will be locked in a lock position, in the second guideelement 11B and between the resilient elements 13A, 13B. For thatmatter, the resilient elements 13A, 13B can also be so designed as toengage only the first, lower information carrier 2 and the upper, secondinformation carrier 2, respectively. The second support edge 23B, forthat matter, can function as stop shoulder for the first informationcarrier 2.

[0044]FIG. 12 schematically shows in perspective view a furtheralternative embodiment of receiving means 9 for a packaging device forinformation carriers according to the invention, the embodiment shown inFIG. 12 allowing two information carriers to be locked. In thisembodiment, on two opposite sides of the information carrier, tworesilient elements 13 are provided, approximately as shown in FIG. 10,with carrying arms 40 which have opposite angles of inclination,slightly axially directed. Each resilient element 13 comprises asubstantially cylindrical engagement element 41, carried on the free endof the carrying arm 40. Each engagement element 41 comprises at leastone groove 42 between two locking edges 43, situated above each other inaxial direction. The height H of the groove 42 corresponds approximatelyto the thickness D of the information carrier 2 to be received therein,schematically represented in FIG. 12 in chain-dotted lines. In FIG. 12two grooves 42 are shown above each other, so that two informationcarriers S₂ can be received above each other in the resilient elements13. In such an embodiment, the or each information carrier 2 can be slidin in a manner as described earlier in relation to the earlierembodiments, but the guide elements 11 are no longer necessary, nor thestop shoulders 12. In fact, displacement in a direction at right anglesto the surface of the information carrier 2 is prevented by the wideparts 43 of the engagement elements 41, while movement in the slide-inor slide-out direction S₁, S₂ is simply prevented by the resilientelements 13. Naturally, the resilient elements 13 as shown in FIG. 12can also be combined with each of the embodiments described earlier.Moreover, they can be implemented in any suitable manner, for instanceto have a cross section other than a substantially cylindrical crosssection.

[0045]FIG. 13, in front view, schematically shows a first cover part 3of a further alternative embodiment of a device 1 according to theinvention, suitable in particular for use for packaging rectangularinformation carriers, such as chip cards, SIM cards, diskettes and thelike. In this embodiment, the receiving means 9 again comprise guideelements 11 as described earlier and two stop shoulders 12, in thisembodiment designed as block-shaped elements having blind grooves 12A. Alay-in shoulder 24 is provided on the opposite side of the cover part 3,having a slightly curved recess 44, in which, for instance, a finger canbe inserted, next to an information carrier 2 when it has been laid onthe relatively low leg 26 within the lay-in edge 24. Provided adjacentthe guide elements 11 are resilient elements 13, in this embodimentconstituted by a somewhat omega-shaped strip 45, attached, through thetwo legs 46 thereof, to projections 47, with the convex parts 48 of theomega-shaped strips 45 facing each other. In this embodiment, aninformation carrier 2 can be deposited, in a free position, within thelay-in shoulder 24, on the side of the convex parts 48 proximal to theopening 44, whereafter the information carrier 2 can be moved in theslide-in direction S₁, thereby pushing the strips 45 aside in outwarddirection, so that the information carrier 2 can pass them and can beguided through the guide elements 11 into the blind grooves 12A. Whenthe information carrier 2 has passed completely, the strips 45 willrebound and thereby lock the information carrier 2. Taking out theinformation carrier 2 is simply possible through a reverse slidingmovement.

[0046] These elements designed as resilient strips can be used in theembodiments shown earlier, for instance on one side, while they canextend into the back if the first cover part is connected directly,i.e., not hingedly, to the back.

[0047] Devices according to the invention can be wholly or partlyprovided with print or be provided with in-mold labels. Moreover,conventional sleeves for DVD cases, video cases and the like can beprovided on the outside, for leaflets and the like.

[0048] It will be clear that the invention is not limited to theexemplary embodiments presented in the description and drawing. Manyvariations thereon are possible within the framework of the inventionoutlined by the claims. Thus, both the first and the second cover partcan be provided with receiving means for information carriers, while allembodiments and associated variants shown can be combined within thesame packaging device. Guide elements and support edges can be designedas separate parts but can also be mutually integrated, for instance as acontinuous rail-shaped element of substantially U-shaped cross section.Also, the stop shoulder can optionally be omitted. The resilientelements can be provided on one or both sides. The guide elements can bedesigned such that the slide-in direction to some extent includes anangle with the closing face 17 of the respective cover part, such thatinformation carriers, while inclined relative to the cover part, can beslid into the lock position. In such an embodiment, for instance, on onecover part, two information carriers can be slid one under the other, tosome extent overlapping like roof tiles. Information carriers 2 can besimply, by hand or mechanically, laid in or removed from a device 1according to the invention. Within the framework of the invention, anycombination of embodiments of parts of devices according to theinvention as shown and described can be combined. Optionally, furthercover parts can be included as leaves between the first and second coverpart, for instance connected with the back on which further receivingmeans can be provided, for instance for comparable information carriers,for booklets and the like.

[0049] These and many comparable variations are understood to fallwithin the scope of the invention as outlined by the claims.

1. A device for packaging substantially platelike information carriers,provided with a first and a second cover part, wherein at least one ofthe cover parts is provided with receiving means for engaging andlocking at least one information carrier, which receiving means compriseat least two guide elements, which can guide and lock at least a portionof an outer edge of the information carrier, such that during use theinformation carrier can be slid into or under the guide elements, whilethe information carrier can be taken out of the package by sliding itapproximately parallel to its surface and approximately parallel to therespective cover part.
 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein atleast one resilient element is provided, which, when an informationcarrier has been received in the device, engages against a longitudinaledge of the information carrier, while the information carrier can betaken out of the package by sliding it approximately parallel to itssurface and approximately parallel to the respective cover part, whileelastically deforming the at least one resilient element.
 3. A deviceaccording to claim 1 or 2, wherein the guide elements compriserail-shaped elements, dimensioned and positioned such that aninformation carrier can be slid thereinto by at least a portion of itslongitudinal edge, with a sliding fit or with minor clearance withrespect to the dimensions of the information carrier.
 4. A deviceaccording to claim 3, arranged for receiving substantially circular,platelike information carriers such as CDs, wherein the rail-shapedelements are slightly curved, having a bend radius substantiallycorresponding to the radius of the information carriers to be received,and each include a circular segment, which rail-shaped elements aredisposed approximately symmetrically with respect to a first axial line,along an imaginary circle approximately corresponding to the outercontour of the information carrier to be received, such that theinformation carrier is slidable into the rail-shaped elements from aninfeed side and the possible displacement is limited by the rail-shapedelements.
 5. A device according to claim 4, wherein adjacent the infeedside at least one resilient element is provided for locking aninformation carrier in the rail-shaped elements, which resilientelements, when an information carrier has been received in therail-shaped elements, are positioned on the side of a second axial line,extending at right angles to the first axial line, of the informationcarrier remote from the rail-shaped elements.
 6. A device according toclaim 5, wherein the or each resilient element, when an informationcarrier has been received in the rail-shaped elements, lies at a smalldistance from or against the longitudinal edge of the informationcarrier, while the or each resilient element is at least substantiallynot deformed, such that substantially without stress the informationcarrier is locked and is substantially secured against movement in thereceiving means.
 7. A device according to any one of the precedingclaims, wherein the or each cover part in which the receiving means areprovided has such dimensions that at least one information carrier ispositionable thereon in a free position, at least partly next to thereceiving means, and is subsequently slidable along the cover part intothe receiving means to a lock position.
 8. A device according to claim7, wherein the or each respective cover part is at least partly providedwith an upstanding longitudinal edge, while during use an informationcarrier is slidable within the longitudinal edge between the freeposition and the received position.
 9. A device according to any one ofthe preceding claims, wherein the receiving means are designed such thatan information carrier received therein has at least the greater part ofits approximately flat outer side held in spaced relation from the coverparts, both in the open and in the closed condition of the device.
 10. Adevice according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the coverparts are mutually connected by a back, while at least one of the coverparts and preferably both cover parts are connected with the backthrough hinge means, the device being preferably manufactured byinjection molding from plastic with integrally injection molded hinges(living hinges).
 11. A device according to claim 10, wherein thereceiving means define a sliding direction for the information carrierfor placing the information carrier in the receiving means or removingit therefrom, which sliding direction extends substantially parallel tothe longitudinal direction of the back.
 12. A device according to claim10, wherein the receiving means define a sliding direction for theinformation carrier for placing the information carrier in the receivingmeans or removing it therefrom, which sliding direction extendssubstantially at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the back.13. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein thereceiving means are arranged for receiving at least two informationcarriers on at least one of the cover parts, in particular approximatelyabove each other.
 14. A device according to any one of the precedingclaims, wherein the thickness of the device in closed position is lessthan 9 mm, in particular less than 8 mm.
 15. A device according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the device has outside dimensions,at least at right angles to the thickness, which correspondapproximately to the dimensions of a standard DVD box (about 135×190mm).
 16. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, whereinan information carrier is positionable in a first, free position on acover part, wherein means are provided for supporting the informationcarrier on a part of at least one outer surface, located adjacent theouter longitudinal edge, in particular a part that is free of electronicinformation, such that the further respective outer surface is held inspaced relation from the cover part, while the information carrier isslidable to a lock position in the receiving means, without said outersurface coming into contact with said cover part.
 17. A device accordingto any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first and the secondcover part are provided with receiving means.
 18. An assembly of adevice according to any one of the preceding claims and at least oneinformation carrier.
 19. A method for filling a device according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the device in open position ispresented to a filling apparatus, whereafter with the filling apparatusan information carrier is brought to a point above or against a coverpart and is subsequently moved approximately parallel to its surface,along the respective cover part, into the receiving means arrangedthereon.